Category: iWorld

Mumbai: For more than 60 years, K Asif’s glorious epic ‘Mughal-e-Azam’ has enchanted legions of fans across the globe. And now after more than 200 spellbinding performances across six Asian countries, its sublime stage adaptation, ‘Mughal-E-Azam: The Musical’, premieres in North America.  The 13-city tour kicks off in Atlanta on Friday, 26 May with stops in New York, Chicago, Toronto, and more.

This is also India’s longest-running Broadway-style extravaganza and has been directed by Feroz Abbas Khan and produced by Shapoorji Pallonji Group. It will be presented in North America by Cinema on Stage and will bring to a global audience a timeless love story intertwined with the silken skeins of India’s syncretic culture and its rich dance, musical, cinematic, and theatrical traditions.

Director Feroz Abbas Khan said, “There cannot be a better way to end the pandemic-induced lull than to take ‘Mughal-E-Azam: The Musical’ to an international audience. We are well aware of how challenging it will be to keep the energy levels up as we travel from one city to another with a vast crew and learn to familiarise ourselves with a new venue every time, but we are looking forward to it. The last few years of not being able to perform have made us all hungry, and we will invest even more passion and diligence than ever before in every performance and ensure that this tour is a massive success. A very big element of this project is the way Mayuri Upadhya has choreographed dance sequences to do justice to the majestic musical score, and we are sure that the audiences will love every moment of it.”

Creative & strategic vision for the musical Deepesh Salgia added, “Seven years back, when we green-lighted this project, we had not imagined that it would run for 19 seasons and travel to Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Dubai, Muscat, Doha, and now North America. There is a lot of technical and logistic expertise that goes into a massive show like this, but what really makes it universally loved is its emotional core and the love story of Salim and Anarkali. And of course,  this is India’s most expensive theatre production and leaves audiences everywhere enchanted with its intricately choreographed dance sequences, spectacular lighting, exquisite costumes by Manish Malhotra, and live singing.”

India’s first Broadway-style musical boasts a cast and crew of more than 150 people, and has been met with all-around accolades following its 2016 premiere in Mumbai. In 2017, it won seven out of the 14 BroadwayWorld India Awards, including Best Play, Best Director, Best Costume Design, Best Choreography, Best Original Set Design, Best Original Lighting Design, and Best Ensemble Cast.

This tribute to K Asif’s masterpiece has evolved as a musical of unprecedented scale, intensity, and grace and is perhaps the finest moment in Indian theatre.

As Deepesh said, ” We at Shapoorji Pallonji are extremely delighted to bring this musical play to a country that prides itself in creating a global ecosystem for a theatrical production.”

Mumbai: Mother’s Day is a special day to honour the most important women in our lives – our mothers. This special video by Skinnsi and RVCJ captures the true essence of a mother’s love and how it shapes our lives, even as we grow older. From one generation to another, we learn from our mothers and take care of them just as they took care of us when we were younger. It is truly heartwarming to witness this unique bond between a mother and her children through this touching video.

Moms are the backbone of our families and the glue that holds them together. Despite all the challenges they face, they remain strong, loving, and supportive of their children in every way possible. This Mother’s Day let’s take a moment to appreciate all the wonderful moms out there who give us endless love and support. To get started, watch the full video now only on RVCJ Media’s YouTube Channel! 

RVCJ Media co-founder & CRO A Aziz Khan produced a beautiful tribute to mothers everywhere. His production was heartfelt and meaningful, highlighting our love and appreciation for all mothers worldwide.  It is truly a unique way to show your love and appreciation for those who have done so much to shape us into who we are today.

Mumbai: Mother knows best! (sing in Mother Gothel’s voice) – a phrase that’s stuck and prevailed through time just like our moms on a sick day. With Mother’s Day around the corner, what better way to celebrate these special women in our lives than by treating them to a movie night? Whether you are celebrating with friends and family or planning a special day for the woman in your life, Lionsgate Play has you covered with films and series that recognise the joys and challenges of motherhood. So, this Mothers Day buy your mom some flowers and celebrate her with these spunky yet heartwarming titles. Side note: a box of her favorite snacks might come in handy.

From wholesome comedies to tear-jerking dramas, here is a list of titles to look out for on Lionsgate Play:

Hiccups & Hookups

Relationships may fade away but family is forever! Showcasing the true strength of a family bond, Lionsgate Play’s Indian original Hiccups & Hookups takes you through the story of a recently divorced mother, Vasudha (Lara Dutta) and her teenage daughter Kay, as they move in with Vasudha’s younger brother Akhil (Prateik Babbar). They carefully navigate dating, relationships and life with each other’s help and support.

Gaslit

A Julia Roberts classic, Gaslit, is an Emmy Award-winning film which showcases a modern take on the famous Watergate scandal of the 1970’s. Comprising strong women and mothers, the film throws light on the untold stories and forgotten characters from a time that will always be remembered.

Becoming Elizabeth

One with the Queen mother! This Mother’s Day, watch the rise of Queen Elizabeth to eventually take the throne. Becoming Elizabeth follows the younger years of Queen Elizabeth I, an orphaned teenager who becomes embroiled in the politics of the English court on her journey to securing the crown.

Run The World

It’s a woman’s world! Run The World is a comedy show about a group of fierce and vibrant black women who live, work and play in Harlem on their journey to world domination. At its core, the series is an  unapologetic ode to womanhood and highlights the beauty of female relationships, wherein they not only survive – but also thrive together. This Mothers Day enjoy the company of strong and powerful women who inspire you on multiple levels.

Single Mom’s Club

No one understands a mother like another! ‘Single Mom’s Club’ follows a group of single mothers who help ease one another’s burdens and reclaim their freedom. As their stress begins to lessen, these moms learn that finding love again might just be possible.

Bad Moms

Sometimes they’re our best friends but mothers can sometimes be our biggest villains! A mother’s duress is truly unmatched, and when three overworked, overstressed moms get pushed beyond their limits, they decide to shrink their responsibilities and lead a life of love. Bad Moms gives an  insight into the rollercoaster life of mothers, making us appreciate everything they do for us.

Tune into Lionsgate Play on 14 May to celebrate Mother’s Day with the special women in your life.

Mumbai: Power, politics, betrayals and more- the most influential and powerful Gaikwads are back. Disney+ Hotstar today announced the trailer of Hotstar Specials’ City Of Dreams Season 3. Produced by Applause Entertainment in association with Kukunoor Movies and directed by Nagesh Kukunoor. Starring the versatile Atul Kulkarni, Sachin Pilgaonkar, Priya Bapat, Eijaz Khan, Sushant Singh, Rannvijay Singha and many others in pivotal roles, releasing on 26 May, 2023 on Disney+ Hotstar.

Bolder, stronger, fierce on the outside but shattered on the inside, will the Gaikwads fight all that comes their way and continue to sustain their place of authority in this gamble of politics? This season, step into the murky world of politics as Ameya Gaikwad (Atul Kulkarni)  and Poornima Gaikwad (Priya Bapat) come together to protect their legacy from their rivals and external forces.

Talking about the show, Atul Kulkarni said, “City Of Dreams Season 3 delves deep into the web of politics, the Gaikwad’s and all that surrounds them. Working on this show has been a creatively satisfying experience and my character, Ameya Rao Gaikwad has seen a graph of growth at each step. He undergoes a significant transformation in this season, through a series of events that fundamentally alter the core of his persona. Audiences will see a new evolved take on the relationship Ameya shares with Poornima. Associating with Disney+ Hotstar and with Nagesh Kukunoor has been a great experience across all 3 seasons for such a spectacular show.”

Talking about the series, Sachin Pilgaonkar said, “Jagdish Gaurav has grown consistently in a subtle way and this season too will expose him differently. I have thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with Applause Entertainment, Nagesh Kukunoor and Disney+ Hotstar for earlier 2 seasons City of Dreams and for season 3 as well. The fight for power in politics is indeed a world of its own. While the cr ux remains the same, City of Dreams is explored very differently this time and I am sure audiences will enjoy it.”

Talking about the show and her character, Bapat said, “This season, Poornima’s character is extremely complex, emotional and layered. She navigates life one step at a time and attempts to strike the perfect balance between the turmoil of her personal life and the urge to come back even more powerful, to protect her legacy. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Disney+ Hotstar across all seasons. Moreover, It was an incredible experience to work with such seasoned actors like Atul Kulkarni, Sachin Pilgaonkar and I am looking forward to audience reactions this season.”

Talking about the show, Eijaz Khan said,  “Season 3 brings with it a different side to Wasim Khan and a realization that his true self lies in being a fearless cop. His friendship with Poornima evolves as the story progresses. This time around, Wasim is on a mission to cleanse the city from its roots. Collaborating with Disney Hotstar has been incredible throughout and I am excited and hope fans and audiences enjoy the new season.”

Mumbai: Bharti Airtel, one of India’s telecommunications service providers has announced that it will offer content from FanCode to its subscribers. Airtel Xstream now offers content from 19 OTT platforms, the largest bouquet of OTT platforms for consumers offered by any provider across mobile and large screen formats.  

FanCode is India’s digital sports destination. It has partnered with domestic and international sports leagues and associations across multiple sports. The streaming platform has rights to offer sporting content from across the globe such as Carabao Cup, Copa Del Ray, EFL Championships, Women Super League in Football, FIH Pro Hockey League, Rugby 7’s, Yuva Kabaddi League and Tamil Nadu Premier League and Legends League in Cricket.  

Airtel Digital CEO Adarsh Nair when speaking of the venture said, “We are delighted to welcome FanCode to Airtel Xstream. It has always been our endeavor to offer quality content to our customers, and the addition of FanCode significantly augments the portfolio of our offerings.  

FanCode co-founder Yannick Colaco said, “We are excited to be partnering with Airtel to bring FanCode on the Airtel Xstream platform. Airtel’s premium offering will help us further increase the reach of FanCode and give sports fans access to thousands of hours of LIVE sports that they love.

Airtel is looking to achieve 20 million paid subscriptions for Airtel Xstream and looking to bring onboard marquee content partners from across the states to its roster of OTT content partners. Airtel has also brought on-board Social Swag, an influencer commerce platform backed by celebrities such as Akshay Kumar, Rana Daggubati and Mahesh Bhupathi.

Mumbai: Elara Capital senior vice president – research analyst Karan Taurani mentions that Disney Hotstar loses 15-16 per cent of the India paid subs base over last two quarters (Q4CY22 and Q1CY23); expect this to bottom out next quarter as IPL season ends, which see subs loss of another 10 -12 per cent (base of 61mn – 90 per cent India subs) next quarter (Q2CY23), which in turn will mean a total paid subscriber loss of 25-30 per cent largely in line with our estimates of 30-35 per cent subs loss.

He explains, “Further, ARPU’s may also see convergence, as IPL remains the most expensive, which Hotstar lost to Jio Cinema in the new media rights bidding last year.

Expect a potential negative impact of 50 per cent on overall revenue in CY23 for Hotstar , as IPL had a large share in the AVoD revenue base (approx. 60-65 per cent)and also had a sizeable share in the SVOD revenues (approx 40 per cent).

Hotstar may be able to make up for the above loss of subscribers over the medium to long term, by investing heavily in original content (films and web series across languages); further, Hotstar also has a very strong catch-up TV content catalogue, as they are leaders on linear TV front in key markets (urban GEC, regional GEC genres).”

Taurani further adds, “However, investment in original content is a long gestation strategy, as content has to click with the audience, and platform will need to invest in content marketing

We thereby don’t expect a respite for Hotstar’s Indian ARPU (at USD 0.59 per month now), due to the loss of major content properties; in fact there is a high probability of reduction in ARPU due to the loss of IPL and Jio Cinema giving IPL and other premium content (films, movies) free.”

“We expect net loss to remain for the platform, despite IPL moving away, as the negative impact of loss in revenue will not be able to offset the cost (IPL had turned profitable in fourth year – 2021)  (the platform reported net loss of Rs  3.5bn in FY22); the platform (Disney Hotstar) will lose substantial market share in India’s OTT market (down from 17 per cent earlier towards 8-9 per cent in CY23 – post IPL content moving away),” he tells.

Mumbai: Lock, load and shoot – and boy, did it fire well! Keanu Reeves starrer John Wick: Chapter 4 surpassed all set expectations and made waves at the Indian box office with its colossal success. The fourth installment in this Baba Yaga series, beat all its predecessors to become the highest grossing film in the franchise and the 47th highest grossing Hollywood title in India leaving fans in awe of the punches and punchlines. This Lionsgate film made its presence heard and left people feeling an emotion that only Keanu could make them feel. After its release in India on 23 March, John Wick: Chapter 4 has completed a triumphant run of 50 days and continues to run in cinemas across the country. JW4 released in more than 1000+ cinemas in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, thus making the installment the widest release of the franchise.

With a gross collection of INR 59 crores (as on 10 May 2023), the action-thriller took away the title of being the highest-grossing Hollywood title of 2023 in India as of date. It topped other major releases like Black Adam, Top Gun Maverick, Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania , and The Batman assuring Hollywood fans all over the country that the Boogeyman’s legacy lives on.

Talking about John Wick: Chapter 4’s milestone, Lionsgate India VP Gayathiri Guliani said, “John Wick: Chapter 4 surpassed all our expectations to become something that’s much bigger than a film; an emotion. We are glad that the audience showed so much love and stellar support from our partners taking us towards 50 glorious days at the box office.  Lionsgate is proud to be a part of this cult-favorite franchise and our aim will always be bringing viewers the best.”   

PVRINOX Pictures distribution head Rajesh Das said, “PVRINOX Pictures have been an integral part of the John Wick journey in India from its humble origin when the first installment hit the theatres in 2014. It’s been overwhelming to see how the sequels have evolved from being an unknown indie production into one of the biggest action movie franchises of all time. Seeing the strong & compelling content coupled with the huge demand amongst a wide demographic, we were extremely bullish in positioning, promoting & assertively distributing this fourth chapter across a maximum number of cinema chains. The unprecedented box office success & audience euphoria is a testament to the cult following it has garnered among our movie-going audiences.”

Lionsgate and PVRINOX Pictures released John Wick: Chapter 4 in theaters on 23 March in India, and the movie continues to lure movie-goers into theatres.

Mumbai: Zee Media Corporation Limited (ZMCL) has received approval from its board to take part in the bidding process to buy Reliance Broadcast Network Limited (RBNL).

In a regulatory filing, Zee Media said, “The Board of Directors of the Company, vide Resolution passed by circulation on May 5, 2023, have granted the approval to the Company to submit Expression of Interest (‘EOI’) with Corporate Insolvency Resolution Professional (‘CIRP’) of Reliance Broadcast Network Limited (‘RBNL’) in relation to the “Invitation for Expression of Interest for Submission of Resolution Plan for Reliance Broadcast Network Limited” issued by CIRP appointed in terms of the extant provisions for Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process of RBNL.” 

RBNL operates radio stations under the Big FM brand. It has reportedly been put under the corporate insolvency process by the National Company Law Tribunal. An advertisement has been issued seeking expressions of interest from interested entities.